As background, electrical switches may operate by bringing contacts made of flexible, conductive materials into contact when actuated (i.e., activated by a user). When the contacts are brought together mechanically, the contacts alter an electrical circuit to generate a signal (e.g., a voltage or current). However, the mechanical interaction (i.e., momentum and elasticity) may be oscillatory as the contacts are brought together. Specifically, the contacts may initially oscillate between various states of mechanical coupling to generate a noisy signal. Capacitive switches are an alternative to mechanically actuated electrical switches. However, capacitive switches are actuated by altering the capacitance of the switch to generate a signal, and may experience capacitive oscillations analogous to the mechanical oscillations of mechanically actuated electrical switches.
The oscillations of the switch affect the signal produced by the switch and cause “bounce.” Bounce is commonly described as a rapidly pulsed electric signal instead of a clean transition from zero (i.e., no signal) to full signal. Bounce may be mitigated (i.e., “debounced”) by collecting multiple samples of the actuated state that are sufficient to allow the oscillations to settle to a steady state condition. Some automobiles include a plurality of debounced switches in close proximity to one another. In some circumstances, a user may actuate a first debounced switch intentionally and a second debounced switch unintentionally. However, debouncing may not be effective to prevent the unintentionally actuated switch from causing a device or function controlled by the unintentionally actuated switch from performing an undesired action.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative systems and methods of capacitive switching.